


do you have it?

by afrocurl



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Disabled Character, Curtain Fic, Emotionally Crippled Erik Is Fun To Read, Erik is not a Happy Bunny, Glasses, M/M, Mansion Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-01
Updated: 2013-03-01
Packaged: 2017-12-03 23:19:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/703795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afrocurl/pseuds/afrocurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erik's losing something and it's making him grumpier than normal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	do you have it?

**Author's Note:**

> Written for my curtainfic square on my trope-bingo card.
> 
> Betaed by **ninemoons42** , but any and all mistakes at this point are mine.

All things being equal, time had been very kind to Erik. As he aged, his features remained striking, and his hair greyed in contrast to Charles’ baldness. His figure had stayed the same--muscles toned and strong even at fifty.

Of course his knees creaked slightly when he walked up the stairs after a long day of standing and lecturing, but that was just part and parcel of being in his fifties and still being a full professor at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. There were always hazards to your health in any line of work, especially teaching with the hours of standing or sitting and stilted movements in between.

Erik walked with purpose toward Charles’ classroom just before the end of an advanced tutorial and stopped dead at the doorway.

The moveable chalkboard sat near the back of the room and for the life of him, Erik couldn’t make out what any of Charles’ students had written on it.

 _Bugger all!_ he thought, softly enough that Charles wouldn’t overhear the sentiment, but strongly enough to express his feelings.

“That’s all for today everyone. Thank you for a lively discussion on the nature of man according to Hobbes. We’ll pick up again with more of _Leviathan_ next week.”

Erik watched as the students filed out quickly, still staring at the board in frustration.

“Dear, you’re thinking with far too much determination for the end of the day. What’s wrong?” Charles asked as he rolled over to Erik’s side.

“These kids can’t write properly! I can’t read anything on that board.”

Charles looked over his shoulder at the chalkboard and chuckled. “I can read that from here. I think you might need glasses.”

Erik huffed, annoyed at the thought. “I’m not going blind.”

“That writing is perfectly clear and if I can see it and you can’t, therefore you need glasses. We’ll schedule something with the optometrist in town later this week. I think Scott had said something about his vision being blurry on Monday.”

“I will not sit through a ride into town with Scott for this.”

“You will if you want to be able to see and drive properly.” Charles’ expression was cool and steady as he spoke, no hint that he would back down from the conversation.

“But I never drive anymore,” Erik whined. “We don’t actually leave the property, you realize.”

“That’s not an excuse. If you can’t see the board, you need to have your eyes checked. I’ll drive just to be sure,” Charles added before he started to leave the classroom. “We’re going to have dinner soon, so don’t be late.”

Erik watched Charles leave, then turned back to the board for the last time, squinting at the writing that he still could not make heads or tails of.

It was worse when Charles’ assumptions were right because he would lord it over Erik for weeks at a time.

*

Erik held _Le Misanthrope_ in his lap as he waited for Charles to finish his nightly routine. It was one of the books that Erik needed for his next lecture in French, and it had been a few years since he last read it.

__When Charles rolled out of their en suite, Erik picked the book back up, ready to avoid any further conversation on his eyesight. Holding it close to his face, Erik went back to rereading the text and adding to the notes he had already left in the margins._ _

__“You know, that book is too close to your face. That's why you can't see things that are far away,” Charles said as he worked himself out of his wheelchair and into their bed._ _

__Erik grumbled but made no other reply._ _

"Just telling you what observations I’ve made. You've held your books more closely since you read _Les Miserables_ months ago, if I’m not mistaken.” 

___Erik intently looked back at the words in front of him and ignored Charles’ comments. It was no use to try and suggest anything other than what Charles thought was the truth._ _ _

___In his sleep, Erik dreamt of barricades and silly women who flirted with those pressed to protect their rights._ _ _

___*_ _ _

___Scott eagerly bounced on his feet as he stood by the back door. Erik wanted nothing more than to turn around, but Charles’ chair stopped him from slipping back towards their office._ _ _

___“You need glasses Professor Lehnsherr?” Scott asked._ _ _

___Erik stood and said nothing. He was not going to discuss anything with Scott today if he could avoid it. Scott was already one of his least favorite students--too eager to please without having all of his facts straight--but the boy never seemed to notice._ _ _

___Charles picked up on Erik’s non-response and said, “Yes, Scott, Professor Lehnsherr does need glasses.” He lowered his voice. “He just doesn’t want to admit it.”_ _ _

___“But Professor Lehnsherr, glasses are amazing! They help you see.”_ _ _

___Erik had no reply again. He just waited for Charles to move towards the door and work his way into the van that had been adapted for him to drive. Eventually Charles wheeled himself out of the room and towards the garage._ _ _

___It was going to be an extremely long day._ _ _

___*_ _ _

___Thankfully, Erik was the first to have his eyes examined, and as Charles had said, he did need glasses. The doctor had said that there were signs of eye strain from too much reading at very short distances, and not enough time spent looking at things placed at long distances._ _ _

___Erik was grateful that the prescription was not too strong, but disliked the idea of having to wear anything on his face. Many of the styles he had seen around were too distracting, and would probably clash with his wardrobe._ _ _

____I think you'd look wonderful if you wore black frames._ Charles’ mental voice was kind, but not without a hint of mirth underneath it._ _ _

___Erik wanted nothing more than to squirm in his chair as Scott’s examination continued, but Charles’ hand rested against Erik’s knee, holding him in place._ _ _

___*_ _ _

___Scott happily wandered through the shop's inventory of frames as Erik tried to look uninterested. Charles had a pleased expression on his face as he watched Scott’s face light up at a pair in bright blue plastic._ _ _

___“You need to find a pair too,” Charles said as Erik continued to avoid looking at what the office had to offer._ _ _

___“I don’t care what they look like. You pick them out for me.” He felt himself scowl more than he meant, but the entire process had left him frustrated, especially as most of the shop’s frames were plastic without much metal._ _ _

___“Wonderful! I’ll need you to try them on as I go, of course.”_ _ _

___“Whatever,” Erik said as Charles moved towards the men’s frames in the corner._ _ _

___*_ _ _

___Begrudgingly, Erik had to admit that the glasses had been necessary, that he now felt that he could see properly - but he only said so once he and Charles were alone._ _ _

___“You look very handsome,” Charles said once he was settled into their bed._ _ _

___“You’re a horrible liar.”_ _ _

___“I’m not lying, and you know it. Here, let me show you.” Charles’ hand came to rest loosely against Erik’s temple, and through that physical connection Erik saw Charles’ reactions, all of them positive and some of them lustful._ _ _

___“You’re a devilish man,” Erik said as soon as Charles’ hand fell back to the mattress._ _ _

___“But that’s why you love me,” Charles replied before inched closer for a kiss._ _ _

___Erik had no complaints about wearing glasses if this was what Charles meant to do when Erik wore them._ _ _

___He did have to spare a thought for the students, however, as who would be there to oversee their education if he and Charles were otherwise engaged._ _ _


End file.
